Friday, August 16, 2013

Garden action

The Jerusalem artichokes are putting on their last couple of unbelievable inches before they burst into flower. The gigantic eupatorium is a huge collection of blossoms and bees, who orbit like electrons around a giant molecule. The pumpkin vine pushes out a new leaf each day while the leaves near its base are covered in powdery mildew. It seems like just yesterday it was summer. But the warmth is fragile and easily broken, unless we sink slowly into pillowy nights of balmy breezes.

Every plant has its pollinator, often more than one. I catch two bees sleeping in a sunflower. A third comes in and rouses them temporarily, then it falls asleep too.

There are predators for every insect, more spiders than I've ever seen, wasps of every stripe, and a surprise return to our garden, a praying mantis. Sighted again this year, just like last year, by Julia.

Morning glories spread in the dewy morning while the potato plants grow a bit too tall, just that extra ray of sunshine is what they lack. The brave bee balm, better than ever now that it's established and trying to become weedy, puts out an extra whorl of flowers. A late season treat.

The lizard-like heads of black cohosh aim for the sun like periscopes, while weeds that hid all year, like the epilobium growing in someone else's pot, make a brash appearance. Quiet comes with the muted light, I let the dry spaces be, the cat takes a sip from the fishpond, and the plants wait.

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Growth = Movement

Plants don't "move" but plant tissue stretches, warps, bends, contracts and expands in response to growth stimuli. We can see evidence of this kind of slow-motion movement in any plant form we observe. In this detail of old tree we can see how woody tissue responded over decades of growth to the "knot" in the center.

Dune Stabilizers

Grasses like this help stabilize dunes and at the same time move with the wind.

Bittersweet Double Helix

Most plants express some kind of helical growth form. Many plants also exhibit thigmotrophy, which is a kind of movement toward other surfaces. Ivy that grows on a wall, moss growing along the pavement, and climbing vines like this bittersweet are all examples of thigmotrophy. This kind of growth allows various plants to reach sunlight, to retain water, and to make their fruit available for dispersal.

Plant Movement

Plants search out the light and move toward it. Stems elongate toward the light in etiolation, seen in this photo.

Migrating Crops

Corn, which was originally cultivated in Central America, has migrated to every part of the world through the activities of its human partners.

Partners Help Plants Move

Pollinators and other partners help plants get around. This unlikely pollinator will spread pollen from one individual to the next.

Nicotiana

Plant some Nicotiana outside your afternoon-shade window and you'll get great aroma all summer long.

The smell of fresh apples

Mmm...a barrel of fresh apples smells great.

Magnolia

Magnolia's wonderful aroma is remembered all year.

Pineapple Patterns

The appearance and aroma of a pineapple are distinctive but they are only part of its relevant characteristics.

Fiddlehead

The characteristic fern shape, circinnate vernation, can be seem in other plants too.

Milkweed Seeds

It's no accident that these seeds are arranged like the pineapple above. The milkweed and pineapple share a common ancestor that they inherited this body plan from.

Inspiration

Velcro was inspired by the lowly burdock plant.

Darwin's Garden

These formal plantings are part of Darwin's gardens at Downe House. He also used extensive experimental gardens and greenhouses.

Milkweed and Bumblebee

Looking closely at a flower and its pollination partner teaches us about the Naturalistic Philosophy.

Our garden

A view of our garden in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Pattern and Process

Looking closely at all parts of the plant helps us develop an awareness of its patterns and process

About Me

I communicate science to non-scientists. My interest in the intersection between art and science, which I consider to be closely related practices, is the focus of two essay collections I am working on. As a Harvard PhD I realized that the work we do in the library and laboratory, while worthy in and of itself, does not necessarily translate to normal people. Bridging that gap is my goal in my teaching practice and in these posts. I teach college sophomores at Boston University and I teach in the sustainability program at the Boston Architectural College.